Valentine Vignettes
by smk123
Summary: A series of vignettes about how Lee and Amanda spend Valentine's Day, over the course of their relationship
1. Chapter 1

Notes: This month we're setting a Valentine's challenge. There are two choices for you. We have ten words and you'll need to use at least FIVE of them, OR we have a line for you to use. The words are: CUPID; ANNIVERSARY; PERFUME; HEART; CANDY; DIAMOND(S); VALENTINE; SATIN; ORGASM; SEX. The line is: OOH BABY, COME TO MAMA/PAPA.

All the usual disclaimers apply

Timeline - Pre-Season 1

Genre - general

Rating - T

Author - Charlie

Amanda stood in the dining room nervously adjusting the candle sticks on the table. Everything was set. The silverware gleamed, the linen napkins were immaculate. She had wine chilling, stuffed Cornish hens ready in the oven, chocolate mousse for dessert.

Checking her watch, she debated about lighting the various candles she had scattered about the room but decided to wait. Once Joe pulled in the driveway, she'd have time to light them before hurrying to the front door to greet him.

Her stomach quivered and she put her hands on her waist, trying to calm the butterflies that fluttered about underneath the SATIN material of her dress. It was just dinner with her husband, no reason to be nervous, none whatsoever. 'Except,' a little voice inside her head whispered, 'you know this is your last ditch effort to rekindle some romance in your marriage.'

Her heart thumped heavily in her chest as she acknowledged the truth of the statement. Her marriage to Joe was going downhill fast. He was so busy with his job that he barely had time for her or the boys. Some days they never even spoke. She'd be in bed sleeping by time he got home and then he'd be gone by time she returned from taking the boys to school...

But that was all going to change after tonight, she reassured herself. She'd been planning this all week. They'd have a romantic dinner together, then sit and talk—really talk—about their relationship, their future. Joe was a reasonable man and she was sure that if she could only get his attention, she could make him see what was going wrong.

A smile played over her lips as she envisioned how the evening would end. They'd head upstairs together and spend the night making slow passionate love. She'd sent the boys over to her mother's for the night, so there would be no interruptions, no need to be quiet. It had been a long time since they'd had unrestrained SEX and she was looking forward to an earth shaking ORGASM.

Amanda checked her watch again and frowned. Joe was late. A little frisson of worry crept over her but she firmly pushed it away. No, he couldn't have forgotten. She'd reminded him several times this week that they were having a 'date' tonight and she'd even left a message for him at work.

Walking into the kitchen, she checked on dinner and decided it wouldn't be too overdone. After adjusting the oven temperature so that it just kept the meal warm, she turned the wine in the ice bucket then readjusted the fresh flowers on the counter. Impulsively, she carried them to the dining room and set them between the silver candlesticks. Yes, that looked better.

The flowers were lovely. Roses and baby's breath with ferns gently cascading down from the edges of the arrangement. Too bad Joe hadn't thought to buy them for her; he used to do crazy impulsive things like that when they were first together. She sighed knowing she shouldn't be expecting romantic gestures after all these years of marriage. Gently she fingered the velvety blossoms that she'd picked up while buying groceries that morning. It was silly to buy herself flowers but she couldn't resist. Leaning forward, she sniffed the roses, enjoying their scent.

A car could be heard coming into the driveway and a bubble of excitement rose up inside of her. She flicked on the stereo so that quiet waves of romantic music filled the room. With shaking hands, she lit the candles, then hurried to the window, pushing the lace curtains aside so she could spy on her husband. She wondered what he might have bought her. CANDY? PERFUME? It didn't really matter, just him being home was present enough...

Gazing out at the driveway, the smile on her face fell. It wasn't Joe in the driveway. The car was already backing out; it was just someone turning around. Biting her lip, Amanda forced herself to not cry. Joe wasn't that late, not really... Something important must have come up. He'd probably call any moment now and apologize, then reassure her that he was leaving that minute...

Amanda turned and looked back at the elegantly appointed table. The hardwood surface gleamed. Crystal glasses and silverware sparkled while candlelight danced merrily, casting magical shadows on the wall. Romantic music was softly playing in the background and two chairs sat facing each other, expectantly awaiting the arrival of young lovers.

Blinking rapidly, Amanda walked to the den. 'He's just late. He's was just late...' She chanted the phrase over and over to herself as she sat down and hugged a cushion to her chest. Joe knew how important this was to her; she'd told him several times. Surely he had heard her. He couldn't forget...

*****

Three hours later...

Joe King walked into a silent dark house and wearily shut the door. It was late and he was tired. Another busy day at the office but—he smiled as he hung up his coat—it had been successful and in the end that was what mattered.

He turned and sniffed the air. Something smelled delicious. Amanda probably had leftovers in the fridge for him. She was such a trooper... Striding into the dining room on his way to the kitchen, he stopped cold and stared. The best dishes were out. Burnt out candles were scattered about the room and a bouquet of roses adorned the centre of the table.

Realization dawned. It was VALENTINE's day and Amanda had been going on and on all week about having a special dinner for just the two of them. He'd totally forgotten. Inwardly cursing, he headed into the kitchen and spotted the light on in the oven. Bending over, he saw two plates inside, the food decidedly dried out and unappetizing. Slowly he stood and turned off the oven, then glanced towards the den.

From where he stood, he could just see some brunette curls over the top of the couch. Slowly, with a leaden heart he walked into the den. Amanda didn't move, even when he softly called her name. Hesitantly he approached, circling the couch until he stood in front it. Gazing down at his sleeping wife, he noted the tear stains on her cheeks, her smeared eye makeup, and slightly pink nose. A pillow was wrapped in her arms and held protectively over her heart as if to ward off something unpleasant.

"Oh crap!" He chastised himself. His shoulders slumped and he wearily rubbed his hands over his face. Gently he reached out and brushed a stray curl from Amanda's cheek, regretfully whispering the fated words. 'This just isn't working anymore, is it sweetheart?'


	2. Chapter 2

Notes: This month we're setting a Valentine's challenge. There are two choices for you. We have ten words and you'll need to use at least FIVE of them, OR we have a line for you to use. The words are: CUPID; ANNIVERSARY; PERFUME; HEART; CANDY; DIAMOND(S); VALENTINE; SATIN; ORGASM; SEX. The line is: OOH BABY, COME TO MAMA/PAPA.

All the usual disclaimers apply

Timeline - Season 1

Genre - general

Rating - T

Author - Charlie

Amanda sat in the dining room, nervously fingering the fringe on her shawl. She was waiting for Dean and she was exactly five minutes early. Dean liked punctuality so she'd made an extra effort to ensure that there would be no delay when he arrived. The boys were fed and dressed in their pyjamas. All their homework was completed, lunches were packed, bags of CANDY and special VALENTINE cupcakes sat on the counter ready to be taken to school for classroom parties. Even the dishes were done...

She checked her watch again. Still four minutes before Dean was due to arrive. Sitting and waiting was nerve wracking and she had to resist the urge to leap up and start dusting. Cleaning always made her feel better and she needed something to calm her right now.

Dean had hinted that he had something special for her tonight. Her mother, always playing CUPID, was sure it was an engagement ring and couldn't contain her excitement. Amanda wasn't sure what to think. It could be a ring—Dean had seemed different lately—but she didn't think their relationship had reached that level yet. Mind you, she'd been so distracted with her work at the Agency lately, that she hadn't really been paying as much attention to Dean as she should.

Hmm... Did she want to marry Dean?

Nibbling on her lip, she gave the matter serious consideration for what must be the hundredth time this week. Ever since her mother had starting dropping hints, Amanda had been dwelling on the possibility and she still couldn't make up her mind what her answer might be, should Dean actually pop the question.

It would be good for the boys to have a man around the house. His income was decent and his job was steady—after all there would always be weather to forecast, right? Dean liked her mother and her mother liked him. If she married Dean, Mother would have more free time. She could even get her own apartment because Amanda would be home all the time. Surely, Dean wouldn't want his wife working as a part time spy, right? She frowned a bit at that thought.

So she'd give up her job at the Agency and become a full time mom and homemaker again. It would be just like when she and Joe were married except that Dean wouldn't be taking off to who knows where. He'd punctually leave for work every day at eight o'clock and return home by five. She'd have dinner waiting for him and then they'd put the boys to bed and watch TV or talk about his day at work. Her spare time would be busy with PTA and charity work, neighbourhood coffee and gossip, maybe even another baby...

Her stomach gave a funny lurch at the thought and she placed her hand over that region. What was that about? Excitement at the thought of having Dean's baby? Nooo... It was... Well... She actually felt sort of queasy. She and Dean had engaged in some kissing and light petting but they'd never gone beyond. He'd never pressured her for more and, quite frankly, she didn't find his kisses that stimulating. They were okay—sort of lukewarm—but nothing that made her want to hop into bed with the man.

Possibly if they were married it would be different. After all, she didn't engage in casual sex. What would it be like to be with Dean? Closing her eyes, Amanda tried to imagine herself in bed with her boyfriend. In her mind she envisioned a darkened room, candles flickering, romantic music softly playing in the background. She'd be wearing a SATIN nightgown and Dean would lean over her, gently stroking the thin straps from her shoulder. He'd trail kisses up her neck and whisper sweetly in her ear.

Her hands would reach up and stroke his broad shoulders. She'd feel his muscles quiver under her gentle touch. As his lips met hers, she dig her fingers into his thick sandy brown hair and feel the weight of his body pressing hers down onto the mattress. The kiss would be exquisite. Slowly they'd pull apart and she'd gaze up into his beautiful hazel eyes...

Wait a minute! Dean didn't have hazel eyes or sandy brown hair! His shoulders weren't that broad either. Who the heck was in bed with her? Amanda furrowed her brow, then gasped. Lee Stetson! How dare he creep into her fantasies! She huffed in exasperation and gave her head a little shake. That man was such a womanizer!

Taking a calming breath, she tried to re-enter her fantasy, replacing Lee with Dean. Okay. Bedroom, satin nightgown, candles, music, and ... Dean? Where was he? Why couldn't she make him appear?

Scanning the mental image of her bedroom, she could see no trace of the man but standing in the corner, looking oh so smug was Lee. 'Get out,' she scolded, but he just winked and gave her that annoying smirk then raised his eyebrows when the door bell rang. Huh? Why was the door bell ringing in the middle of...?

Oh! It really was the door bell.

Amanda found herself back in the dining room. She jumped to her feet and smoothed her damp palms across the skirt of her dress. Adjusting her shawl, she made her way to the door, pasting a welcoming smile on her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her mother supposedly reading a book in the den. In actuality, Dotty was almost falling out of her chair as she leaned towards the door. She's probably hoping to eavesdrop on Dean popping the question, Amanda thought with a slight touch of exasperation.

Opening the door, she let Dean in.

"Hello Amanda." He gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'm glad to see you're ready. Sorry I'm late."

"Late?" Amanda checked her watch. "Well, it's only one minute past..."

"In the world to television, one minute late is an eternity."

"Oh. Well, it's a good thing this isn't television then, isn't it?"

"Uh-huh. Listen, the reason I'm late is because of your present. I had a little trouble wrapping it, so I finally gave up. You don't mind, do you?"

"Umm... No. That fine."

"Good. Now I'm going to give it to you now. I'm too excited to wait."

"Oh! But shouldn't we..." Amanda tried to stall for time. She still didn't know what her answer would be to his proposal and her mother was listening in from the other room.

"No, just give me your hand and close your eyes.

Reluctantly Amanda did as she was told. As her eyes fluttered shut, she could see Dean reaching inside his overcoat. Extending her left hand, a feeling of doom began settling over her, like heavy metal chains were slowly being wrapped around her. She talked firmly to herself. Dean was a good man. He liked the boys and her mother. He had a good job. He was kind ...

Something long and hard and silky was pushed into her hand. Her eyes flew open and she gasped. There in her hand was a ...umbrella?

"Do you like it?" Excitement fairly quivered in Dean's voice.

"I... I don't know what to say. I mean I never expected ..."

"Now don't open it in the house, that's bad luck but once we're outside, you can unfurl it, and you'll see it has the station logo on it and the names of all the reporters and news anchors. I got them each to sign it for you. You're the only person in Arlington with an authentic signed umbrella from the station." Dean smiled and puffed out his chest, obviously proud of his accomplishment.

"Dean, this is just... Well..." Amanda was at a loss for words. She'd never imagined getting an umbrella for Valentine's Day. As the humour of the situation began to hit her, she struggled to suppress a snicker. Her mother was expecting a ring and instead she got an autographed umbrella. "Dean, would you mind, if I just went to show this to Mother, before we go?"

He beamed and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, looking extremely pleased with himself. "Sure, we still have a minute or two to spare."

Amanda smiled then hurried towards the family room. "Mother, you'll never guess what Dean gave me for Valentine's Day..."


	3. Chapter 3

APOLOGIES - THIS WAS ACCIDENTALLY POSTED AS CHAPTER 2, WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY CHAPTER 3 , SO I'VE HAD TO RE-POST AND INSERT A CHAPTER PRIOR TO THIS - JUST FLIP BACK TO ENSURE YOU DIDN'T MISS THE SEASON 1 INSTALLMENT - SORRY!

All the usual disclaimers apply

Timeline - Season 2

Genre - general

Rating - T

Author - Charlie

Season 2

Standing at the back door, Amanda waved the boys off as they left in their car pool. It was VALENTINE's Day and she'd sent them with cards for classmates, a box of chocolates for the teacher and HEART shaped cookies to share with friends. Phillip had fussed about taking the gifts but in the end had conceded. He was at that awkward stage, not really wanting to give up childish traditions but feeling too big to participate willingly.

'Oh well,' she smiled to herself. 'One of these days he'll have a girlfriend and be excited about giving Valentine's gifts again.' As she turned to walk in the house, a little wave of melancholy washed over her. This was her first official 'all alone' Valentine's Day. No Joe, no Dean, no boyfriend in sight anywhere. It was rather a strange feeling. She wasn't exactly sad—her life was full with her job and the boys—but still, there was no one special who was just hers. Oh well, that was life. With a shake of her head, she wandered back inside and began to tackle the morning dishes with her usual vigour.

In no time, the kitchen was sparkling clean and she ran upstairs to change her clothes. Even if she didn't have a boyfriend, she was going to put on a brave face for the day and wear something seasonally appropriate. She had a new red sweater and planned on teaming it with heart earrings and a matching necklace. Pulling open her underwear drawer, she frowned. There was a red bra in there somewhere ... Rummaging to the back of the drawer, her hand hit something hard, and she froze. She knew what it was but wasn't sure if she wanted to look at it or not. After a moment of hesitation, she pushed the bits of SATAN and lace aside and stared down at her wedding picture.

Slowly she ran her finger over the glass surface, outlining Joe's face and then her own. They both looked so happy in the photo, who would have thought...? No! Mentally she scolded herself. No melancholy today. She and Joe had gone their separate ways and she knew it was for the best. They were happier apart and who knows? Maybe someday she'd find a special someone again...

Unbidden, an image of Lee Stetson, her partner at work, popped into her head. She allowed his face to float about her mind for a minute before firmly removing it. Lee was certainly good looking—any girl's Valentine's Day fantasy—but he had no business appearing in her head when she was feeling all lonely and in need of some romance. Lee was into casual relationships with little pieces fluff who had names that ended in 'y' and were willing to give him SEX on demand. An Arlington housewife was certainly not his type.

Realizing that she was wasting her time daydreaming, Amanda quickly found her clothes and dressed. Checking her watch, she saw that she would just make it to work on time—not that it mattered. Lee was notoriously late but Amanda always felt that if at least half of the team was punctual, Mr. Melrose might not take quite so much notice.

*****

The Agency was its usual bustle of activity. Agents hurried in and out, typewriters clattered and phones rang. Mr. Melrose was yelling at someone in his office and a gaggle of girls from Steno were gathered around the water cooler, no doubt talking about their latest conquests.

Sparing the girls but a brief glance, Amanda set her purse down and logged onto her computer. Were they whispering about Lee, she wondered? Part of her was curious but part really didn't want to know. Last time she'd wandered over, someone named Mindy had been discussing the great ORGASM Lee had given her. Amanda still remembered how hot her face had felt and she'd had to hurry away before anyone noticed. For the rest of the day, she hadn't been able to look at Lee without an extremely erotic mental image appearing.

Since that day, she'd learned to not pay attention to what the girls said or to take too much notice of who Lee was dating. The less she knew the better. Keeping their relationship strictly professional made it much easier to be around him. She helped him with his paper work and assisted on cases and that was the extent of their interaction. Well... To be honest, there were all those times that he popped up in her backyard, but they meant absolutely nothing. He was just updating her on a case or asking for some help or seeing how she was after one of their escapades. It was all business, end of story.

Except... She couldn't ignore those occasions when, as part of their jobs, they ended up in very tight quarters, even sharing the occasional kiss as part of their cover Of course, as Lee so often pointed out, it meant nothing. So what if there was a little tingle of awareness when his skin brushed hers or their eyes locked? The shortness of breath, the pounding of her heart; it was just one of those weird things. It didn't mean she was attracted to him, and even if she was, it was just the attraction that any healthy woman felt for a good looking man.

The door to Mr. Melrose's office opened and the office suddenly quieted as everyone looked up to see who had been on the receiving end of the section chief's temper. Lee strolled out and knowing brows were raised, then everyone went back to work. Loud verbal exchanges between the two weren't uncommon despite the fact that the two men were close friends—or at least as close as the spy business allowed.

Making his way across the room, Lee leaned his hip against Amanda's work station. "Hey Amanda."

"Lee." She nodded her head towards Mr. Melrose's office. The man was now barking Fred Fielder's name and the agent in question was looking less than pleased at being centred out for attention. "Mr. Melrose seems a bit out of sort this morning. Is his ulcer acting up?"

Lee gave a chuckle. "Yeah, and Jeannie's put him on a new diet. He's grouchier than grizzly bear."

"Ah!" They exchanged knowing looks then smiled at each other. These were the times that Amanda treasured. She and Lee would get on the same wave length and actually be friends, equals even. It made her feel warm and happy inside.

"So, what are you up to?" His eyes scanned her empty desk and blank computer screen.

"Nothing yet. I just got here."

"Good. I need your help. I have to make a pick up at and with it being Valentine's Day, it would just look better if I had someone with me." His eyes twinkled and he gave her that crooked grin that always made her heart beat just a little bit faster.

"Sure. Where are we going?"

"CUPIDS." He named a new club known for its very wealthy and exclusive clientele. "Lee, I'm not dressed for a place like that..."

Lee pulled her to her feet and looked her up and down, his thumb slowly brushing across the back of her hand. Amanda felt a faint blush appear on her face as she endured his careful scrutiny. A warm smile spread across Lee's face. "You look great... more than great..." Suddenly he frowned, dropped her hand, and cleared his voice. "I mean you look nice... er... fine."

Francine chose that moment to appear. Her sharp eyes took in Amanda's slightly flushed face and Lee's obvious discomfort. "Well, well, well. What's going on here?"

"Francine." Amanda looked down and fiddled with a pen on the desk as she acknowledged the other woman. She didn't really dislike the blonde agent but she never really felt comfortable around her either.

Lee shoved his hands in his pants and shrugged, his face studiously bland. "Nothing is going on. Amanda and I are just getting ready to leave for Cupids."

"Cupids?" Francine's eye brows shot up in disbelief. "You're taking Amanda to Cupids?"

"Yes, Francine. I'm taking Amanda to Cupids. She's going to be part of my cover."

Francine looked at Amanda condescendingly. "Well, I hope you have time to take her down to Fabrications first, and then to Wardrobe. Dressed like that she'll stand out like a sore thumb."

Amanda bit back a retort. Lee thought she looked fine!

Warming to her topic, Francine continued. "To fit in at Cupids, she would need some jewellery—fake DIAMONDS and ear rings, a shorter skirt and higher heels, maybe even a complete makeover." Giving a long suffering sigh, Francine started to hand a large pile of paper work to Amanda. "Here Amanda. You can do this filing and I'll go. It will only take me five minutes to get ready."

Lee stared consideringly at Amanda's legs. If she didn't know better, she'd think he was actually ogling them. His face suddenly brightened and a mischievous twinkled sparked in his eyes. "You know Francine, you might be right. Come on, Amanda. Let's get you fixed up."

"But Lee! That's not what I said..." Francine looked a bit stunned.

Simultaneously, Amanda protested. "But Lee! You said I looked fine..."

"And you do. But maybe not for quite right for Cupids." He grabbed her hand and began leading her across the bullpen.

Amanda hurried after him, thrown off balance by his sudden change of attitude. This was what always happened. Lee kept switching from polite to detached to faintly suggestive then to condescending. Just when she was sure they had a purely professional relationship, he'd throw her a curve ball and make her wonder then he'd pull back again...

"This will be fun for you, Amanda." Lee explained. "You can dress up in some fancy clothes. We'll have a nice lunch together, maybe do some dancing—as part of our cover of course—and you'll be home in plenty of time for when the boys get home from school." As the door closed behind them, he glanced back at where Francine still stood, a definite scowl on her face. He smirked. "Plus, we get to irritate Francine. She's been dying to get inside Cupids and now you'll have one upped her."

"So this is all about getting back at Francine for something?"

Lee shrugged one shoulder. "I get tired of hearing her gripe about you all the time."

"Really?" Amanda beamed.

"Yeah. You've been doing...okay lately and she needs to quit running around with her nose all out of joint."

Not sure quite what to say, Amanda stood silently at Lee's side as they waited for the elevator. She felt a warm, happy glow building inside her. Lee thought she was doing okay! And she got to spend the afternoon with him at a fancy club dining and dancing. Maybe it wasn't going to be such a bad Valentine's Day after all.


	4. Chapter 4

Notes: This month we're setting a Valentine's challenge. There are two choices for you. We have ten words and you'll need to use at least FIVE of them, OR we have a line for you to use. The words are: CUPID; ANNIVERSARY; PERFUME; HEART; CANDY; DIAMOND(S); VALENTINE; SATIN; ORGASM; SEX. The line is: OOH BABY, COME TO MAMA/PAPA.

All the usual disclaimers apply

Timeline - Season 3

Genre - general

Rating - T

Author - Charlie

Season 3

Amanda hummed a little tune under her breath as she arranged HEART shaped cookies on a plate to take into work with her. She'd made one plate for the bullpen and one exclusively for the Q-Bureau, knowing that Lee had a sweet tooth. As she stretched plastic wrap over the platters she realized that this was the first VALENTINE 's Day that she'd looked forward to in ages. The last few years of her marriage had been rocky and the day had never turned out as she planned. During her first year as a divorcee, her then boyfriend, Dean, had presented her with an umbrella and last year... Well, she'd spent part of the day with Lee. It had been enjoyable going dining and dancing with the good looking spy, but it had all been part of his cover—no real romance involved.

This year was different though. She and Lee were growing a lot closer. Not only were they partners but they were good friends as well and maybe, just maybe, a little more than friends. They weren't officially a couple, but neither of them was seeing anyone else either. There was a strange sense of expectant waiting between them; electricity fairly crackled if they stood too close and all too often they found themselves gazing at each other, lost to all that was going on around them. Yes, there was definitely something there. Both of them knew it, yet neither was quite ready to act on it.

For her part, Amanda could admit to herself that she loved Lee Stetson, but she wasn't sure he was quite ready to hear the words. He'd spent a great deal of his life keeping people out and still had a bit of a knee jerk reaction, when anyone tried to get too close. So instead of open declarations, she was biding her time and letting him know in little ways, that she was there for him... Little ways like personalized plates of cookies, she chuckled to herself as she finished wrapping up the treats.

Checking the time, she realized it was time to leave if she wanted to have the cookies on Lee's desk before he got there. She put on her coat, grabbed her purse, and carefully balanced the plates of cookies in one arm while manoeuvring out the door.

*****

At the Agency, her baked goods were greeted with smiles of delight, with even Francine unbending enough to thank her. The blonde agent had mellowed in her attitude lately. While they still weren't close friends, neither were they enemies. Amanda suspected that, like Lee, Francine kept a high wall around her heart and wasn't really quite as cold and unfeeling as she pretended to be.

The blonde agent's attitude was understandable. Being a spy didn't lend itself to close friendships. Long hours, dangerous work, lies, and secrecy weren't conducive to building long lasting relationships. It was a miracle that anyone at the Agency ever got married. Of those that did, few actually stayed married. Divorce rates were high; the job requirements creating too much strain for most couples to handle.

Hmm... Could she and Lee ever...? She shrugged and pushed the thought away. Grabbing a file from her desk, she opened it and quickly became engrossed in her work.

*****

Several hours later, Amanda stretched her arms over her head and blinked owlishly at the clock. Good heavens, it was after eleven! She decisively closed the file and then stared at Lee's desk. He hadn't come in yet, nor had he called. The little plate of cookies she made for him sat forlornly untouched on his desk.

A frown creased her brow as she tried to recall if Lee had mentioned having an early morning appointment. Punctuality was never his strong suit, but it was now eleven o'clock and that was extremely late, even for the Lee. Slowly, she pushed her chair back and walked to his desk. Her hand hovered over his appointment book. He didn't like people looking through his things but... She sighed and opened it, looking for a clue as to where he might be. There was no meeting recorded. Next, she picked up the phone and called the front desk, only to learn that Scarecrow hadn't checked in yet.

Amanda worried her lip with her teeth. Should she call Mr. Melrose? It was possible that Lee had been sent on an unexpected mission. If it was 'need to know' then, of course, she wouldn't be told any details but at least she would know that he was on an assignment and not in a car accident, or lying in some dark alley, or maybe even kidnapped by the Soviets... Her imagination began to run wild as a plethora of scenarios presented themselves to her.

'Stop it!' She spoke firmly to herself. If nothing else, over the years she'd learned that worrying didn't solve anything and this endless speculating would only cloud her thinking. No, she needed a clear calm head if she was to track down Lee. First step, call home. There was always the odd chance that he'd overslept. Dialling his number from memory, she counted the rings until his answering machine came on.

"Hi Lee! It's Amanda. I was just wondering where you are since it's after eleven and I hadn't heard from you yet. Give me a call. Bye"

Okay. So he wasn't at home. Next she tried his mobile unit, but got the same results. Well, at least the unit was active—there'd been no out of service message—so that meant that, if he'd been in an accident, the damage couldn't be too severe or the phone would be dead. A quick call to Mr. Melrose revealed that Lee wasn't on a mission. The section chief sounded concerned that Lee hadn't checked in and authorized Amanda to run a search on his whereabouts.

By now her stomach was beginning to fill with little butterflies. It wasn't like Lee to just drop off the face of the earth. To be sure, he wasn't big on paper work or protocol, but he was meticulous about checking in. As an agent, with danger lurking around every corner, he knew that his life could depend on someone being able to verify his last known location.

Enlisting the help of Agency specialists, Amanda traced his last phone calls; last night he'd contacted the florist at six thirty-five and Maison Grande—a fancy French restaurant—at six forty-seven. Armed with the phone numbers for each establishment, she contacted both only to find that she still had a mystery on her hands. Neither location had any record of Lee placing an order or making a reservation. Checking the length of the phone calls, she found out that they'd been extremely brief, almost as if he'd called and then hung up. Hmm... It was puzzling behaviour.

She glanced at her watch. It was almost noon. Lee was now three hours late for work and no one had heard from him for almost eighteen hours. In the spy business, that was a significant amount of time to be out of contact if you weren't on vacation or a no contact mission.

Amanda sat tapping a pen against her chin and pondering her next move, when the phone rang. She snatched up the receiver, but forced her voice to remain calm and professional.

"International Federal Films. Amanda King speaking."

"Amanda?"

A wave of relief washed over her and she slumped back in her chair. "Lee! Where are you? I've been so worried..."

"Sorry. The time got away from me. Um... Could you come get me?"

"Sure... Is something wrong with the 'vette?"

"Not exactly. Just come and get me."

He sounded rather disgruntled, so Amanda didn't press the point. She got his location—a local mall—and, after informing Mr. Melrose that Lee had been located, set off to get him.

*****

The mall wasn't too busy but, that was to be expected considerin it was the middle of the day. All the kids were at school and almost everyone else was at work. She found Lee sitting in the food court, nursing a cup of coffee and looking decidedly glum.

"Hi!" She slid into a seat across from him. "I'm here. So, what's the matter with your car?"

"I...uh...lockedmykeysinit" Lee mumbled something quickly and then avoided making eye contact, instead looking around at the surrounding store with supposed interest.

"Pardon? I didn't quite catch that?" She frowned.

Lee sighed heavily and then looked at her sheepishly out of the corner of his eye. "I locked my keys in it."

"Oh!" Amanda pressed her lips together to keep from laughing but knew that her mirth was probably evident in her eyes.

"That's right. Go ahead and laugh." He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms.

Amanda gave an unladylike snort and tried to compose her features. "I'm sorry, Lee. It's just the idea of the Agency's best operative doing something as mundane as locking his keys in his car..." She shook her head.

"Yeah, well I was preoccupied."

"Why didn't you just break in?"

"What? And possibly damage the weather stripping around the windows or scratch the paint with my lock pick!" He looked affronted at the very idea and she held up her hands in mock surrender.

"It was just a suggestion."

"Yeah. Well..." Lee huffed and adjusted his coat. "Let's just not talk about it. I had my mind on other things. I locked my keys in the car. End of story. You can take me back to my place and I'll get the spare set and then we can drive back here." He stood up and Amanda followed suit.

As they walked toward the door, Amanda noted all the items for sale for Valentine's Day. Boxes of CANDY, SATIN underwear, bottles of PERFUME, bouquets and cards... Every store had a display in its window. She stopped and picked up a stuffed bear that had little wings and was holding a heart. "Isn't this CUPID just the cutest thing?"

Lee paused beside her and studied the bear, then examined her face. "Is that what you like to get for Valentine's Day?"

She ran her hand gently over the bear's head before reluctantly setting him down. "I suppose. It's been quite awhile since I actually got a present on Valentine's Day—well, the boys give me something they've made at school, but..." Her voice trailed off and she shrugged.

"You know..." Lee began slowly, and then paused, clearing his throat. "The...uh...reason I'm here is that...uh...I was actually looking for something to give you today."

"You were? That's so sweet of you!" Amanda turned to look at him, a wide smile on her face.

"Yeah." Lee rubbed the back of his neck, a sure sign he was thinking or uncomfortable...

She felt the smile fade from her face. If she was reading him correctly, something was wrong. "Lee, what's the problem?"

He shoved his hands in his pocket and looked around before finally meeting her eyes. "I couldn't figure out what to get."

"Why?" She furrowed her brow. It didn't make any sense. Lee Stetson, notorious Steno Lothario, must have had tons of experience buying presents for Valentine's Day.

"Because...well...because, you're different."

"Different?" She wasn't sure if this was good or not.

"Yeah. You're not one of the Steno girls or one of my blonde bimbo's and your name doesn't end in 'i'... You're different."

"Oh, I see..." She answered slowly, not really seeing, or maybe she did. All the other girls Lee mentioned had been his girlfriends and had shared his bed. They weren't divorced mothers with two young boys and the word commitment virtually tattooed to their foreheads. Blinking quickly, she pushed down the small hurt that rose up inside of her. Of course, she didn't measure up to those women.

Unaware of her train of thought, Lee continued. "Usually on Valentine's day, I buy a bunch of bouquets and chocolate to hand out. Then I make reservations at an exclusive restaurant and pick someone from Steno..." He paused and, if she didn't know better, she'd say a light blush appeared on his cheeks. "Well, you know..." He finished weakly.

"But not this year?"

"No, not this year. I started to order flowers and make reservations but I couldn't do it. I don't think my usual plans would work for us...at least not yet." He reached out and gently brushed the back of his hand across her cheek.

Amanda felt a rush of warmth wash over her. Lee did care for her. He didn't judge her against his usual girlfriends and find her wanting. Before she could say anything, he continued.

"But now I have a problem. Everything I've looked at doesn't seem right. That's why I'm so late." He gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Amanda. I don't have anything for you."

She smiled up at him. "Give me your hand."

"What?" He frowned at her.

"Give me your hand."

Hesitantly, Lee extended his hand and she took it in hers. Instinctively, their fingers laced together. Amanda held their joined hands up between them. "You've already given me a present, Lee Stetson. You've given me this. Your friendship. Your trust. That's something you don't give many people and it's more important to me than any teddy bear or box of chocolates could ever be."

Lee stared down at her, his face expressionless. Slowly, he raised their joined hands to his lips and gently pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "Amanda, I..." He paused and she could see the internal battle that he was waging with himself. Emotion filled his eyes and he tried to speak, but the words seemed to be caught inside him.

Amanda reached up with her free hand and pressed it over his mouth. "Shh! It's okay. I know..."

Pulling her close, Lee hugged her tightly and she was sure that she felt his lips pressing against her hair. He wasn't ready yet, but it was okay because someday...


	5. Chapter 5

All the usual disclaimers apply

Season 4

Amanda rolled over, instinctively gravitating towards the warmth that was coming from her husband's body. As she snuggled in close, Lee wrapped an arm around her and she smiled at the feeling of security the simple gesture provided. It had been too many years since she'd woke up beside a man... Well, a man that was her husband, she amended, a smile playing over her lips as she recalled a certain weekend at Pinetop Ski Resort.

Yesterday, she and Lee had finally married and last night had been their wedding night. Replaying their nocturnal activities in her mind, she felt herself becoming aroused all over again. Lee was a great lover; tender and adventurous, considerate and full of stamina... A giggle escaped her at that last thought.

"Mmm?" Lee murmured sleepily beside her.

Tilting her head, she looked up at his face. It was relaxed, his lips were slightly parted and his lashes were fanned out across his cheeks. A faint shadow of stubble covered his jaw while his usually perfect hair was tousled. She recalled how silky it felt as she'd run her fingers through it, clutching his head while he...

With a start, she realized that a pair of hazel eyes were staring at her. They were accompanied by a deep voice, raspy with sleep. "Morning."

"Morning." She smiled up at him and craned her neck to plant a kiss on his bristly chin.

The covers rustled as Lee rolled onto his side so that he was facing her. "You seem awfully chipper for someone who was up half the night." He blinked at her sleepily, a slow smile appearing on his face.

"Well, I'm sort of a morning person." She traced a pattern on his bare chest, then deliberately trailed her finger down to his stomach and then lower still. "Besides, if I recall correctly, you were the one who was 'up' most of the night..." Amanda giggled as Lee raised his eyebrows in surprise at her risqué comment. She was usually more reserved but now that they were married, and alone, with no fear of being discovered, the minx in her was starting to emerge.

Lee raised himself on his elbow and leaned over her, a playful smile appearing on his face. "I see someone's feeling frisky." He murmured against her lips, while gently brushing her hair away from her face. "I have ways to deal with people like you..."

Amanda grinned up at him. "That's what I was hoping."

Things were just starting to get interesting when there was a knock at the door. "Room Service! Your breakfast is here!" A disembodied voice called to them through the thick wooden door.

Sighing, both Lee and Amanda sank back on the bed, the moment lost. Lee began to chuckle and Amanda looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "What's so funny?" She knew she sounded petulant but couldn't help it. Their first morning together and already they were being interrupted!

"Didn't you recognize the voice?" Amanda shook her head. "It's the same lady that made up our room last night. I think she had something against newlyweds making love."

Grimacing, Amanda recalled the maid from last night. The woman had taken forever to turn the bed down, fluff the pillows... She had thought they'd have to bodily remove her. "I remember her—how could I forget?"

"You don't think this is funny?" Lee rolled his head to the side and grinned over at her.

"No." Amanda crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

"Ahh, come on, Amanda. Where's that perky Pollyanna attitude?" Lee sat up and tapped the end of her nose.

"I lost it when she ruined our first morning together as husband and wife."

"It's not ruined. We'll have breakfast and then we can..."

"No we can't. We have a flight to catch to California, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." The smile dropped off Lee's face and Amanda immediately felt bad for ruining his mood. It was his first morning as part of a married couple. too.

Rearranging her features into a pleasanter expression, she sat up and gave him a quick kiss. "You're right. It doesn't matter. We have a long honeymoon planned and there'll be lots of mornings together over the next few weeks." She hopped out of bed and pulled on her SATIN bathrobe. I'll just move the flowers off the table and you can wheel in the breakfast cart."

As she started to walk away from the bed, Lee grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back for quick hug. "That's one of the things I love about you Amanda. You never stay down for long." He let her go and went to get their breakfast.

*****

As Amanda sipped her coffee, she couldn't help but admire the DIAMOND engagement ring and matching wedding band that sparkled on her hand. It was going to be so nice to be able to wear them whenever she wanted over the next few weeks.

Lee was in the shower and she'd finished repacking their suitcases so they could leave as soon as he was ready. Now all she had to do was sit and wait and daydream about their life together. It wouldn't be easy juggling work, her family and a husband—especially a secret husband—but she'd find a way to pull it off. Love conquers all, or at least that's what they said...

Idly, she reached for the bud vase containing a single red rose, inhaling its heady scent. It had been on the breakfast cart, part of the VALENTINE'S Day theme that the meal had been organized around. HEART shaped pancakes, bacon, strawberries, whipped cream, fresh juice and coffee... The cart had been laden with more breakfast goodies than either of them could ever have managed to consume.

Lee had joked about what could be done with the berries and cream and she blushed at the memory. Life with Lee was certainly never going to be dull, especially in the bedroom. Even while it might embarrass her slightly, a smile still managed to spread across her face as she envisioned the possibilities.

Vaguely, she acknowledged the shower being turned off but remained seated, daydreaming about the future. Eventually they would have to tell her mother and the boys. She wouldn't be able to keep her marriage to Lee a secret forever, especially since they both hoped to have a child one day. Some things just couldn't be hidden. And of course, if she was pregnant, the Agency would have to be told, if in fact, their marriage hadn't already been discovered.

In truth, she strongly suspected that the Agency would be fully cognizant of the fact by time they returned from their honeymoon. There were eyes and ears everywhere in this business. Their only hope was that Mr. Melrose found out before Dr. Smyth. The section chief was a closet romantic—Jeannie had spilled the beans to her at an office party last year—so he might aid and abet them in their little deception, burying the records from prying eyes.

"What are you thinking about?" Lee's spoke from directly behind her and she gave a start then twisted around to glare at her husband.

"Lee, don't do that!"

"Do what?'

"Sneak up behind me!"

He was standing in front of the mirror, combing his damp hair into place. "It wasn't on purpose. Besides, can I help it if being married to me has you so enthralled that you don't notice what's going on around you?"

Amanda noted his smirking expression being reflected back at her in the mirror and decided a little payback was needed. "If you must know, I was thinking about work." She answered loftily.

"Work? On our honeymoon?" Lee looked slightly hurt and Amanda relented.

"Well, sort of... I was just thinking about how long it would take them to find out about our marriage. I mean, will we tell them when we tell Mother and the boys, or will the Agency find out on its own, or possibly I'll get pregnant and we'll have to tell..." She noticed that Lee was standing frozen, staring at her with his hands over his head, mid-brush stroke. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Slowly, he lowered his hands and walked over to where she sat, pulling her up into his arms. "I just had a mental picture of you pregnant with my baby." He pressed a hand against her belly. "The idea of a part of me, growing inside of you..." He shook his head in obvious wonderment.

"I...I might be getting too old to have children by time we're ready to tell everyone." She played with a button on his shirt before looking up at him shyly through her lashes, feeling the need to caution him.

"I know. If it happens—great; if it doesn't—that's fine, too. We've talked about this before. Our being together is what's important. A child would just be icing on the cake." He leaned down and began to kiss her slowly, passionately... Heat grew between them and all too soon, Amanda had to pull away.

"Lee, we can't do this now."

"Why not." He nibbled on her neck.

"Because we have a flight to catch."

"We could always get a later one." He was pulling her blouse out of her waist band.

"But you said Barney was expecting us. We can't keep him waiting."

Sighing, Lee stilled his hands and rested his forehead against hers. "Yeah, I guess you're right. We shouldn't be late. If we don't catch this flight, who knows when the next one will be and then our whole honeymoon will be thrown off schedule."

Taking a deep breath, Lee stepped back and finished getting ready. Amanda fixed her clothing and took a final sip of coffee, then grabbed her purse. As they headed out the door, she paused and turned to look at the room again.

"Did we forget something?" Lee queried, scanning the room.

"No, I just want to remember what this room looks like. It's where we consummated our vows and had our first Valentine's breakfast together..."

Lee gave her a one armed hug. "Don't worry. We'll be back. Maybe this can become an ANNIVERSARY tradition for us."

"I'd like that." She smiled up at him and squeezed his arm. "Okay, let go. I've got a feeling that something exciting is waiting for us in California!"

*****

24 Hours Later...

Lee sat in the waiting room staring at the dregs of his cup of coffee. Amanda was in surgery, hit by a stray bullet. She might not make it...

He leaned his head back against the wall. Why, oh why had they both been so sure that they had to catch that particular flight? If he'd followed his instincts the previous morning, and had made love to Amanda when he had the chance, none of this would have happened. They would have missed their flight, arrived later... Now he might never have a chance to make love to her again. He tightened his hands, uncaring that his flexing fingers were crushing the paper cup he held, or that a puddle of cold coffee was forming on the floor in front of him.

A nurse bustled in, caring a bouquet of red and white flowers. She set them on a nearby table and spent a moment arranging them. Turning, she gave a start when she saw him sitting in the shadowed corner. "Oh, Mr. Stetson, you surprised me. I didn't realize you were there."

"Sorry." Lee could barely get the words out. He was staring intently at the flowers.

Seeing the direction of his gaze, the woman started to explain. "Aren't they lovely? One of the patients past away, and her family didn't want them to go to waste, so..." Her voice trailed off, as she realized what she was saying. "I'm sorry. That was tactless of me. Don't you worry. Your wife is in the hands of a fine surgeon. She'll be just fine."

Lee nodded and tightened his lips. The woman hesitated and then quietly left the room. As her footsteps faded into the distance, he left himself slump in his chair. God, he'd never even bought Amanda a Valentine's Day present before.

'If only she pulls through this,' he vowed, 'I'll buy her the best present every year. I'll make sure it's always a special day. I'll never be one of those husbands that forgets or doesn't think it's important. If only she makes it..."


End file.
